I Feel the Pull of My Jewishness in My Soul

I think some of my friends and family must be wondering why all of a sudden I have been posting pro-Israeli links and stories related to the current war in Israel and Gaza. Many of my friends know that I am Jewish but also know that I have never been what you might call a religious or observant Jew. Some, even in my own family, jokingly call me a “bad” Jew. I don’t celebrate or observe the Jewish holidays, wasn’t Bar Mitzvah’d and have lead a pretty secular life. I go to a Science of Mind church for my spiritual connection. To be a secular Jew has always been a safe place for me, because it absolved me from having to defend the negative feelings some people have against Jews and Israel specifically, and I didn’t have to personally absorb the negativity. And like many of my Jewish Friend’s families, our great great grandparents changed our family names so that their children might not suffer the same kind of anti-semitism experienced by past generations. I’ve also never really shared my feelings about Israel, and they haven’t always been 100% supportive. I’m not even sure why I feel the need to share them now. I’ve been watching the events unfold with Israel and Gaza over the last few weeks, and I see what is happening in other countries, particularly in Europe, where protests are not just anti-Israel, but also anti-Jewish. I guess that also means anti-Doug, anti my son, anti my mother and my brother and my Jewish friends and family, and we haven’t done anything to these people. I see these protests, burning of synagogues and demonstrations by haters akin to what happened before WW2, and the media PR war that positions Israel as the aggressor in this war to defend itself from an enemy whose sole purpose is its destruction, and the destruction of all Jews, everywhere. Maybe it’s because I’m older now and don’t care that much what people may think, but as I witness what is happening, I feel the pull of my Jewishness in my soul, and the feeling that I am part of the world’s Jewish family. And although the history of Israel and the Middle East is certainly open to interpretation, what I see happening now, compels me to state my support of Israel, regardless of what anyone may think of me or believe, because I think Israel is doing what needs to be done. I think that most people who are not Jewish don’t want to deal with this war and I don’t blame them. We’re all war-weary, and as non-Jews, you’re probably not invested in what happens there. But I think most people are uninformed about what and why things are happening now, because it’s just too easy to blame Israel for our problems in the Middle East, and I feel like it’s our responsibility to share as much information as we can to help my friends understand what is really happening in this war and that Israel isn’t the side to blame. Read what I post if you like, ignore it if not. I know most people will still rather not pay attention, but at least the information is out there if you wish to analyze it.